Vinay Kumar is a very smart selection, going by stats, experience and utility. He's got a strike rate a little over 30, and 70 wickets in 42 matches. Economy, not surprisingly, has taken care of itself. He's decently fast, and also a very good fielder. While he's been unlucky to miss out so many times, his coach once advised him to play as an all-rounder- a replacement for Irfan Pathan. While that's a longshot, he's had 27 innings in the lower order, and is no mug or slowcoach with the bat, although you'd rather have three or more bowlers like him in the team than just him. He deserves to be in the side for a long term, and will help in India picking two proper spinners.

Pankaj Singh, not so much. We know him as a gentle giant medium-pacer, and have written him off often. However, in 37 ODs, he's got 57 wickets, and the strike rate, almost 33, is serious. His economy is a little high, but not alarming, like, Dinda's or Yusuf's. He too is quite useful lower down the order, and though not as much as Irfan or Vinay, it all adds up when they're together. Both should figure in all the matches India get here.

Ravi Ashwin appears to be a Harbhajan-esque bowler. When going good, like in the IPL, he can stifle the batsmen and get a rich haul of wickets. When the batting is on top, or the pitch not helpful, he'll keep bowling flat and firing it in to keep it tight. He's got a good economy (4.09), but for a strike bowler, a strike rate of 42 isn't ideal. His OD batting has improved only lately, though he's a serious contender for the seventh batsman's spot, if FC records and form are to be considered. He's ahead of Yusuf purely because he's a strike bowler, but if Yusuf fixes that economy or takes wickets more often, that can flip.

Among the other bowlers, Mishra has the wickets, experience and utility, so he should be a regular. The last spot may be up for grabs, for a seamer and spinner. Dinda strikes often, but has a high economy. Umesh is young and raw, and has little except pace and fielding- hang on, fielding is often an area of weakness for this team. We'd rather not have the left-arm spinners in this series; they're not worth it, nor is the series that important. The top six should be obvious- Vijay, Ojha, Raina, Sharma, Karthik and Kohli.

Ugh, do we have to play India yet again. Surely there are other teams in the world.

exactly man, we have seen enough of each other in the last few months ...but there are 2 new sides, and a low-key low-TRP low-ticket price low-adrenaline tournament...So, I don't mind...

"I want to raise my hand and say one thing. Those who complain about my love for the game or commitment to the game are clueless. These are the only 2 areas where I give myself 100 out of 100."
- Sachin Tendulkar, as told in an interview published in Bengali newspaper Anandabazar Patrika after his 100th International century (translated by weldone)